‘Luxury bishop’ flies in to face austerity Pope

A German bishop accused of lavish spending on his residence and lying under oath flew to Rome yesterday to discuss his future with Vatican officials.

The Bishop of Limburg, who was criticised for flying to India first class, chose Ryanair yesterday as he answered the papal summons. Pope Francis, who has espoused a simple lifestyle, wants to know why Bishop Franz-Peter Tebartz-van Elst has spent €31 million (£26 million) on his lodgings in his diocese near Frankfurt.

The bill run up by the 53-year-old bishop for renovations included €783,000 on a garden, €350,000 on built-in wardrobes, €25,000 on a conference table and €15,000 on a bath tub.

Separately, prosecutors in Hamburg said that they wanted him to be fined for making a false claim in…